For most of us, the school year has already started or starts very soon. If your learner participated in ESY (Extended School Year), then that's probably been over for a few weeks already. So before we get any deeper into the new school year, I want you to do something. Take some notes. What is your learner doing right now? As you think about this, consider both skills (academic or functional) and behaviors. Give special thought to the needs targeted by your learner's IEP goa

The Trump administration campaigned against government waste, fraud, and abuse, promising to cut unnecessary spending and improve efficiency. Quick reminder- Waste, fraud, and abuse (FWA) constitute the misuse of resources, particularly government or healthcare funds, through careless mismanagement (waste), intentional deception (fraud), or improper, unethical behavior (abuse). One way they have tried to accomplish reducing FWA is by firing federal employees and closing offic

Trajectory tra·jec·to·ry /trəˈjekt(ə)rē/ noun the path followed by a projectile flying or an object moving under the action of given forces. often used figuratively to describe a process of change or development that leads toward a particular result. in life, "trajectory" refers to the overall path or direction your experiences take you, influenced by your choices and opportunities. I think about trajectory a lot. How every choice I make has the potential to make a significa

Why I support public education and feel that school choice means no choice for many students with disabilities.

I believe inclusion can work.

Our words matter.

Post discusses the Texas v Becerra lawsuit, which challenges the constitutionality of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

All students with disabilities are guaranteed a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) by the federal education law, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Case law has added other assurances, such as the guarantee that students should be educated in the least restrictive environment with nondisabled peers as much as possible and that their IEPs should be reasonably calculated to enable the student to make progress appropriate in light of their unique circumsta

Reasons for and tips on summarizing your learner's IEP. FREE template included!

You know what? The path needs some prep work too!

A general overview of the required components of an IEP.

A very basic intro to the history of special education in the US.

How to measure IEP goal progress.

What does advocacy have to do with politics? A lot, actually. Think about the level of advocacy it took for Women's Suffrage, for the...

FAPE vs LRE- Progress vs Inclusion? Join me as I try to squish a complex issue into a five minute read!

Quick resource on how to write a parent input letter for an IEP.

Part 2 of the "How Did I Get Here" Series!

In this three-part series, I will help you develop a system that works for you that not only answers the question, "How did I get here?" but also helps you figure out the way forward. How? Organization! I know, I know. Getting organized may seem less than urgent, but it is crucial in understanding your child's current situation in school. And when you understand how you got to that place, it can help you figure out the way forward. In Part One, we'll cover Organizing Your Ch

When I reflect on the past and my personal experience with my children's special education, I often feel a host of negative emotions. Regret. Anger. Disappointment. Frustration. Anxiety. Overwhelm. And even despair. The situations that gave rise to these negative emotions might have been avoided with the knowledge I acquired on the way. All the things I didn’t know had a direct and lasting impact on my children. Knowing my kids might be in a better position now if I knew th

On the cusp of a New Year, I think it is so common and important to look back and reflect. - How did I get to this place? -Is it what I imagined? -Could it be different? How? Below I share a brief look back at the history of special education in the United States and I invite you to reflect on the proximity of exclusion as well as the hope and determination needed both then and now to continue to advocate for inclusion and education rights. 🔸 In 1971 a class action lawsui